Canyon is calling their all-new Neuron:ONfly trail ebike their most versatile eMTB to date. That’s because it combines the best all-rounder trail characteristics of its Neuron family, with a new lighter powertrain thrown into the mix. A lightweight carbon 29er full-suspension MTB platform with 140mm of travel front & rear, all-mountain-ready geometry, and now with the more natural pedal-assist ride feel and much lighter overall system weight of the Bosch Performance Line SX ebike powertrain…
Canyon Neuron:ONfly lightweight trail ebike
Start with the quick do-it-all human-powered Neuron mountain bike launched a year ago. Add in the boosted capabilities that came with the slightly longer travel ebike version Neuron:ON that debuted three months later with a 4th-gen Bosch CX motor & 750Wh battery. Now, dial it back to the latest lighter-weight but powerful Bosch Performance Line SX motor and a 400Wh battery, and the new Canyon Neuron:ONfly.
Canyon calls it: “Less weight. More power.“
“The Neuron:ONfly sits in the middle of the Neuron family with the full-power Neuron:ON as the go-to choice for all-day adventures in the alpine, while the Neuron is a 100% human-powered bike for those who want to keep it traditional.”
What changes from Neuron:ON to the new Neuron:ONfly?
You still get 55Nm or torque out of the latest Bosch SX motor – compared to 85Nm out of the CX. But you get the benefit of a more natural feeling pedal assist, while still getting a high 600W peak power output for punchy climbs.
And the SX motor itself is 750g lighter than CX. Plus, its 400Wh battery is a claimed 2400g lighter than the CX’s 750Wh battery. That’s more than 3kg lighter, or nearly 14% weight savings over the complete Neuron:ON CF 8 that I rode last summer.
Beyond the powertrain, the carbon frame itself isn’t identical to the heavier Neuron:ON, but it’s very similar. Obviously, the downtube could be made smaller with the smaller, lighter 400WH internal battery. And the chainstays have dropped a bit with the extra space available around the smaller motor casing.
But what about lightweight range?
Sure, range is genuinely decreased from that huge 750Wh battery to this 400Wh one. But the Bosch SX motor is said to be more energy efficient. And the more natural ride feel offers welcome support on the climbs, but encourages you to step up your pedal power output, as well. It also is much more reasonable to pedal a light eMTB in Eco mode. And still bearable to pedal it uphill with a drained battery, compared to the full-power ebikes out there.
Range-wise, Canyon claims the new Neuron:ONfly will still give you support for 1000m of climbing in Turbo mode. That’s plenty to cover most regular mountain bike trail rides. And why carry extra battery weight around if you aren’t going to use it. I live and ride in the mountains. And 1000m is a solid ride ranging from 25-60km in length depending on how hard you want to push the steep hills.
And if you do actually need extra power occasionally for some longer riding. The SX-powered Canyon Neuron:ONfly is compatible with Bosch’s 250Wh PowerMore range extender bottle battery. So you can get 62.5% longer range, just by attaching the 1.6kg extra battery.
All-Trail Geometry
Handling-wise, another year means even more progressive geometry than the recent Neuron:ON. This new lighter Canyon Neuron:ONfly slackens out a further degree to a 64.5° head angle now, paired with the same steep 76.5° seat tube angle and same Stack & Reach figures.
That should match well with the 140mm of Canyon ‘Triple Phase’ 4-bar rear suspension and matching 140mm forks. FYI for smaller riders, the XS ebikes step it back to 130mm of travel for lower standover.
Bosch eBike Flow app & anti-theft system
You also get the same Bosch ConnectModule and eBike Flow App that lets users fine-tune their motor mode setups. And use the electronic locking feature that automatically adds an anti-theft alarm and tracking if someone does manage to get away with your fancy expensive eMTB.
Canyon Neuron:ONfly – Pricing, options & availability
The new Canyon Neuron:ONfly is available now direct from Canyon.com. It comes in 4 complete builds and 5 stock sizes (XS to XL). All with the same CF carbon frame, the new Bosch SX motor, and 400Wh internal battery.
The top of the crop is this 7900€ Neuron:ONfly CF LTD build. You get a full SRAM XX AXS Eagle 12-speed transmission, Code Ultimate Stealth 4-piston brakes, Fox Factory 34 fork & float shock, and Reynolds Trail 329 Blacklabel Expert carbon wheels. All that at an eMTB weight claim of just 19.1kg.
The Canyon Neuron:ONfly CF 9 at 7000€ with a SRAM GX AXS transmission, Code Silver Stealth brakes, RockShox Pike Ultimate fork & Deluxe Select+ shock, and ebike-specific alloy DT Swiss HX1700 LS wheels – at a claimed 19.9kg.
For 5600€ you can get the Neuron:ONfly CF 8 with a Shimano XT groupset, Fox Performance suspension, and SunRingle 329 Expert alloy wheels at a weight of 19.6kg.
That’s a full 3kg lighter than the similarly spec’d full power version Neuron:ON CF 8 with the higher-torque Bosch CX motor and bigger battery, at the exact same price.
Lastly, the Neuron:ONfly CF7 is the most accessible version in the new lightweight eMTB line-up. For $5500 / 4850€, riders get the same frame, motor & battery with a Shimano Deore drivetrain, SRAM Code R brakes, and RockShox Pike Base & Deluxe Select+ suspension at a weight of 20.4kg complete.
Only this last Canyon Neuron:ONfly CF7 is available in the USA, at least for the time being.
